Cheques for family of brothers bounce again

Bank says that the needed funds were not available in the account of the Punjab government.

SIALKOT: Cheques worth Rs500,000 each given to the family of the brothers who were clubbed to death in Sialkot recently bounced again at the State Bank of Pakistan Sialkot branch, with the bank saying that the needed funds were not available in the account of the Punjab government.

Muhammad Amjad, the uncle of the lynched brothers, Hafiz Mughees and Muneeb Butt, told the media that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had handed over the cheques to the family during his visit to the Hajipura area of Sialkot.

He said that the family had contacted the Punjab government when the cheques bounced the first time.

The provincial government issued two new cheques of the same amounts, which again were dishonoured on September 15.

Bank officials said the cheques could not be redeemed because the account had insufficient funds, and also that the new cheques bore some technical faults.

When the family contacted the PML-N central leader, MNA Khawaja Muhammad Asif and informed him about the situation, he directed the Sialkot DCO Mujahid Sher Dil to ensure all “hurdles” are removed in the clearance of the financial compensation.

Amjad further informed the media that the family had adding Rs0.5 million to the compensation amount  and donated the entire sum to help the flood victims. But the provincial government’s cheques (worth Rs1 million) had bounced again.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 16^th, 2010.